Slide rule for payroll use

ABSTRACT

The longitudinally grooved calibrated stationary part has a slidable calibrated ruler disposed therein that is marked off at one end for a half-hour or a 1-hour lunch period depending on the working arrangement in a given place allotted for lunchtime and this marked-off end in computing any employees&#39;&#39; time is set at the checkin point to avoid confusion in computing the number of hours worked when taking into consideration the employees checkout time, thus reducing the computation of all-over time to a simple single reading on the calibrated slidable ruler where the number of hours then becomes a matter of direct reading. A colored window piece slidably adjustable on the far end of the calibrated ruler is set according to the accepted 7 or 8 hours working period in the particular place of employment. By this simple means, the computation of regular time and overtime is a simple matter of separating one portion of the particular time that is being computed on the regular pay basis, the rest being overtime, which is paid on a time and one-half or double time basis depending on the rules for compensation in a given place.

United States Patent 1 1 Brugger I541 SLIDE RULE FOR PAYROLL USE [76] Inventor: Emll Brugger, 5134 Illinois St.,

Loves Park, Ill. 6] l l l 1 [22] Filed: Oct. 7, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 187,454

[52] U.S. CI. ..235/70 R [51] Int. Cl. ..G06g l/02 [58] Field of Search ..235/70 R, 70 A, 89 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,088,889 3/1914 Falvey et al ..235/70 A X 944,218 12/1909 Sommer ..235/70 R 1,245,604 1 H1917 Liner ..235/89 R 1,378,993 5/1921 Boehnke 235/70 A 1,458,649 6/1923 Gardner 235/70 A 1,538,250 5/1925 Love, Jr ..235/89 R 2,532,619 12/1950 Heerieh ..235/89 R 2,634,054 4/1953 Higgins et al. 235/70 R 2,573,385 10/1951 Bergquist ..235/61 A FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,787 3 1904 Great Britain "235/70 A Primary ExaminerRichard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-Stanley A. Wal Attorney-Andrew F. Wintereorn [57] ABSTRACT The longitudinally grooved calibrated stationary part has a slidable calibrated ruler disposed therein that is marked off at one end for a half-hour or a l-hour lunch period depending on the working arrangement in a given place allotted for lunchtime and this marked-off end in computing any employees time is set at the cheekin point to avoid confusion in computing the number of hours worked when taking into consideration the employees checkout time, thus reducing the computation of all-over time to a simple single reading on the calibrated slidable ruler where the number of hours then becomes a matter of direct reading. A colored window piece slidably adjustable on the far end of the calibrated ruler is set according to the accepted 7 or 8 hours working period in the particular place of employment. By this simple means, the computation of regular time and overtime is a simple matter of separating one portion of the particular time that is being computed on the regular pay basis, the rest being overtime, which is paid on a time and one-half or double time basis depending on the rules for compensation in a given place.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Feb. 20, 1973 g SLIDE RULE FOR PAYROLL USE This invention relates to a slide rule for payroll use in shops and other places where employees get so much per hour up to 8 hours per day and either time and onehalf or double time for overtime and there is either a half hour lunch period or an hour lunch period. The present slide rule being designed for figuring the time from the timecards much more quickly and far more accurately than by any other known method thus avoiding the many mistakes now being made and the proportionate number of disputes between the employer and his employees.

I am aware that others have proposed devices purporting to accomplish this same end but all of these that I am familiar with have objectionable features that militate against the quickness of reckoning the accuracy that I have every reason to claim for the device of my invention, basing this claim upon long enough usage in different establishments to know that the device does everything claimed for it, without exception.

Salient features of the device of my invention are:

l. A markoff at the inner end of the calibrated slide of a lunch period so that in making an individual timecard computation this markoff end can be set at the beginning point so as not to cause confusion in computing the number of hours worked when reading the calibrated slide for the total number of hours shown on .the ruler at the checkout time, and

2. Shading the other end of the calibrated slide beyond the regular 7 or 8 hour working period, to facilitate the computation of overtime pay, this shading being preferably in the form of a slidably adjustable colored transparent windowpiece on the far end of the calibrated slide to facilitate setting it as required in different establishments, where, for example, an eighthour day happens to be the regular work period.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the slide rule showing that the slidable main part is disposed in a groove in the stationary part and retained in place therein by a small retainer clip;

FIG. 2 is a face view of the slide rule showing it set for a computation of time on an individual who checked in at 3:57 A.M. and checked out at 2:00 PM. for a nine and one-half hours pay period, eight on regular time, the rest on overtime, allowing one-half hour for the lunch period, as shown in the first item of the timecard of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 shows a typical timecard;

FIG. 4 is an enlargement showing the slide of FIG. 2 I

in another position in computing the time for an individual who checked in at 4:27 A.M., and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section on line 5-5 of FIG. 2 showing how the colored transparent slidable windowpiece is adjustable lengthwise in a groove extending longitudinally of one end portion of the calibrated slide, the windowpiece being set in FIG. 2 to show all time beyond eight hours as overtime.

Referring to the drawing, in which the same reference numerals are used to designate corresponding parts throughout the views, the reference numeral 6 designates the assembly generally, which is a slide rule for payroll use in computing the hours worked by an employee, as shown, for example, on his timecard 7 (FIG. 3), regular time designated RT being listed in one column 8 and overtime designated OT in another column 9, so that in computing the pay it is only necessary to add up the number of hours of regular time in column 8, which will be paid for the regular hourly rate, and total up the number of hours of overtime in column 9, which will be paid for at double the hourly rate or whatever is agreed upon in a given place, and make out the paycheck for the total amount due in accordance with these figures.

The slide rule 6 comprises a stationary main body part 10 having a groove 11 extending longitudinally thereof and suitably calibrated in hours and fractions alongside the groove 11, as indicated at 12, and marked at 13 to indicate 6 A.M. and at 14 to indicate 6 PM. A ruler 15, that is slidable in the groove 11 and suitably retained by means of a clip 16, is calibrated in hours and fractions along its one edge, as at 17, similarly as the calibrations at 12 on the body part 10, has a space marked off at one end for lunchtime marked L, as at 18, which in the present instance is for a half-hour, although, of course, a three-quarter or full-hour markoff might be provided at 18, depending on the amount of time allotted for lunchtime in a given place. At the other end of the ruler 15 there is a longitudinally extending groove 19, in which a U-shaped rib 20 defined by a folded edge portion of a transparent windowpiece 21 of suitably colored plastic sheet material, is entered with a close friction fit so as to be slidably adjustable lengthwise of the groove 19 to indicate what portion of a given days working time is to be computed on an overtime basis. For example, if the regular day hourly rate applies only for eight hours time and the employee puts in nine hours time, he is entitled to overtime pay for the final 1 hour. On the other hand, if the working arrangement in a given place is on the basis of a 7 hour regular time pay then everything over 7 hours is over time and must be computed accordingly, in which event the windowpiece 21 is set forward to seven instead of being set at eight, as shown in FIG. 2.

In operation, taking the first time period from 3:57 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. for which the ruler is is set in FIG. 2, it will be noticed that the ruler 15 is set with the lunchtime markoff end L set at 3:57 A.M. and the reading on ruler 15 at 2:00 A.M., which is the checkout time, shows a total of 9% hours, but in view of the setting of the windowpiece 21 to show any time over eight hours as overtime, there is overtime pay due for one and one-half hours, as shown on the card 7 in FIG. 3. Now, let us assume that this same employee checks in the next day at 4:28 A.M., as shown by the setting of the ruler 15 in FIG. 4, and the employee checks out at 2:18 P.M., there is a total elapsed time of 9% hours of which 8 hours are to be computed on the basis of regular time pay and the balance of 1% hours as overtime,

as shown in the second set of figures on the timecard 7 in FIG. 3.

It requires very little practice for anyone of average intelligence to do a good job of accurately computing the worker's pay using this slide rule. An instruction sheet accompanying this slide rule when sold should contain one or two illustrations like the ones given in FIG. 3, and after that there is no danger of any mistakes being made, if the timekeeper uses ordinary care. Hence, the chances of running into any disagreement with an employee is at a minimum concerning his pay for hours worked.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, this is only for the purpose of illustration, and it is to be understood that various modifications in structure will occur to a person skilled in this art.

I claim:

1. A slide rule for payroll use comprising a stationary elongated body part that is calibrated in hours and fractions of hours along one edge portion, and a relatively slidable ruler part that is likewise calibrated along one edge portion on the same scale in hours and fractions of hours, the parts being arranged so that the calibrated edge portions may be viewed together for sight computation of hours and fractions of hours from a checkin time to a checkout time, one end portion of the ruler part having an allotted lunchtime space set off from the calibrated portion so that when this marked-off end is placed adjacent the checkin time this eliminates necessity for deduction of the lunchtime from the final reckoning of pay for hours of working time, and a transparent windowpiece covering a certain length of the end portion of said ruler part remote from the end with the marked-off lunchtime, whereby overtime pay computation is simplified by separating the few hours involved with overtime covered by the windowpiece from the rest of the time that is figured on a regular hourly rate.

2. A slide rule as set forth in claim 1 in which a longitudinally extending groove is provided in the ruler part at the last mentioned end, the windowpiece having a longitudinally extending projection slidably adjustable in said groove.

part at the last mentioned end, the windowpiece having k a longitudinally extending projection slidably adjustable in said groove, the projection being defined by a folded edge portion of the windowpiece which by reason of the inherent flexibility and resilience of the material of said windowpiece holds the same yieldingly in any set position accordingly as overtime is computed from the seventh hour or eighth hour in any given work day.

4. A slide rule for payroll use comprising a stationary elongated body part that is calibrated in hours and fractions of hours along one edge portion, and a relatively slidable ruler part that is likewise calibrated along one edge portion on the same scale in hours and fractions of hours, the parts being arranged so that the calibrated edge portions may be viewed together for sight computation of hours and fractions of hours from a checkin time to a checkout time, one end portion of the ruler part having an allotted lunchtime space set off from the calibrated portion so that when this marked-off end is placed adjacent the checkin time this eliminates necessity for deduction of the lunchtime from the final reckoning of pay for hours of working time, the ruler part being slidably received in a groove provided in the elongated body part extending longitudinally thereof, the calibrations on the body part being provided along one side of said groove and the calibrations on the ruler part being in juxtaposed relationship thereto, and a transparent windowpiece covering a certain length of the end portion of said ruler part remote from the end with the marked-off lunchtime, whereby overtime pay computation is simplified by separating the few hours involved with overtime covered by the windowpiece from the rest of the time that is figured on a regular 3. A slide rule as set forth in claim 1 in which a lonhourly rate- 

1. A slide rule for payroll use comprising a stationary elongated body part that is calibrated in hours and fractions of hours along one edge portion, and a relatively slidable ruler part that is likewise calibrated along one edge portion on the same scale in hours and fractions of hours, the parts being arranged so that the calibrated edge portions may be viewed together for sight computation of hours and fractions of hours from a checkin time to a checkout time, one end portion of the ruler part having an allotted lunchtime space set off from the calibrated portion so that when this marked-off end is placed adjacent the checkin time this eliminates necessity for deduction of the lunchtime from the final reckoning of pay for hours of working time, and a transparent windowpiece covering a certain length of the end portion of said ruler part remote from the end with the marked-off lunchtime, whereby overtime pay computation is simplified by separating the few hours involved with overtime covered by the windowpiece from the rest of the time that is figured on a regular hourly rate.
 1. A slide rule for payroll use comprising a stationary elongated body part that is calibrated in hours and fractions of hours along one edge portion, and a relatively slidable ruler part that is likewise calibrated along one edge portion on the same scale in hours and fractions of hours, the parts being arranged so that the calibrated edge portions may be viewed together for sight computation of hours and fractions of hours from a checkin time to a checkout time, one end portion of the ruler part having an allotted lunchtime space set off from the calibrated portion so that when this marked-off end is placed adjacent the checkin time this eliminates necessity for deduction of the lunchtime from the final reckoning of pay for hours of working time, and a transparent windowpiece covering a certain length of the end portion of said ruler part remote from the end with the marked-off lunchtime, whereby overtime pay computation is simplified by separating the few hours involved with overtime covered by the windowpiece from the rest of the time that is figured on a regular hourly rate.
 2. A slide rule as set forth in claim 1 in which a longitudinally extending groove is provided in the ruler part at the last mentioned end, the windowpiece having a longitudinally extending projection slidably adjustable in said groove.
 3. A slide rule as set forth in claim 1 in which a longitudinally extending groove is provided in the ruler part at the last mentioned end, the windowpiece having a longitudinally extending projection slidably adjustable in said groove, the projection being defined by a folded edge portion of the windowpiece which by reason of the inherent flexibility and resilience of the material of said windowpiece holds the same yieldingly in any set position accordingly as overtime is computed from the seventh hour or eighth hour in any given work day. 